Context of 'April-June 2008: AIG Makes Third Successive Quarterly Loss'

The insurance giant AIG makes the biggest quarterly loss in its 89-year history, $5.29 billion. This is primarily due to an $11.1 billion writedown of derivatives known as credit default swaps. The loss will be announced on February 28, 2008 (see February 28, 2008). [Bloomberg, 9/16/2008]

Insurance giant AIG makes a loss of $7.81 billion for the first quarter of 2008. In the previous quarter, it had lost over $5 billion, which at that time was its worst ever result (see October-December 2007). The loss will be announced in May (see May 8, 2008). [Bloomberg, 9/16/2008]

AIG makes a quarterly loss of $5.36 billion. This is its third such loss in a row, but is lower than the previous quarter’s loss (see January-March 2008). The loss will be announced on August 6. [Bloomberg, 9/16/2008]

After announcing another record loss for the first quarter of 2008 (see January-March 2008), insurance giant AIG says it needs to raise $12.5 billion to protect against further possible writedowns due to problematic investments related to the US housing market. In addition, Standard and Poor’s and Fitch Ratings cut AIG’s credit rating after it announces the loss and the fact that it made more than $15 billion in first-quarter writedowns tied to credit default swaps and mortgage-backed securities. [Bloomberg, 9/16/2008]

At the annual shareholder meeting of the insurance giant AIG, Chief Executive Officer Martin Sullivan says he is “not discouraged,” despite the fact that the company has posted successive losses (see October-December 2007 and January-March 2008). Company chairman Robert Willumstad says the directors support the management, adding, “We think Martin’s the right guy.” Shares close at $39.44, a 46 percent drop over the past year. [Bloomberg, 9/16/2008]

Troubled insurance giant AIG makes a record quarterly loss of $24.47 billion. The loss is caused by writedowns on assets linked to subprime mortgages and capital losses. This is the worst loss it has ever made, coming hard on the heels of losses in the previous three quarters (see October-December 2007, January-March 2008, and April-June 2008). Over the four quarters, the combined loss totals $42.5 billion. The company will be in such bad shape that the government has to take it over by the end of the quarter (see September 16, 2008). The loss will be announced on November 10 (see November 10, 2008). [Reuters, 4/17/2009]

The stock price of troubled insurer AIG falls 18 percent, closing at $23.84, following the announcement of a third straight quarterly loss the previous day (see April-June 2008). This is the largest fall since the company’s 1969 initial public offering, although this record will be broken next month (see September 9, 2008). In addition, Chief Executive Officer Robert Willumstad refuses to rule out raising more capital to supplement the $112.2 billion AIG held as of June 30. [Bloomberg, 9/16/2008]

Shares in the insurance giant AIG fall 19 percent to $18.37. This is the company’s worst day of trading ever, beating the previous record set only a few weeks ago (see August 7, 2008). [Bloomberg, 9/16/2008; Bloomberg, 3/5/2009] The fall is caused by the news that the Korea Development Bank has backed away from a deal to purchase the ailing bank Lehman Brothers (see September 9, 2008), as this causes investors to become nervous about AIG’s ability to raise capital. [Bloomberg, 9/16/2008]

AIG logo. [Source: American International Group (AIG)]In an historic move, the federal government bails out insurance corporation AIG with an $85 billion loan, giving control of the firm to the US government. After resisting AIG’s overtures for an emergency loan or other intervention to prevent the insurer from falling into bankruptcy, the government decided AIG, like the now-defunct investment bank, Bear Stearns, was “too big to fail” (see March 15, 2008). The US government will lend up to $85 billion to AIG. In return, the government gets a 79.9 percent equity stake in warrants, called equity participation notes. The two-year loan will carry a LIBOR interest rate plus 8.5 percentage points. LIBOR, the London InterBank Offered Rate, is a common short-term lending benchmark. The bailout comes less than a week after the government allowed a large investment bank, Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc., to fold (see September 14, 2008). As part of the loan agreement, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson insists that AIG’s chief executive, Robert Willumstad, steps aside. Willumstad will be succeeded by Edward Liddy, the former head of insurer Allstate Corp (see September 18, 2008). [Wall Street Journal, 9/16/2008] Shares in AIG drop to $3.75 on the news. [Bloomberg, 3/5/2009]

The recently bailed-out insurance company AIG makes the largest quarterly loss ever in the history of business. The $61.7 billion loss follows four other extremely high losses and is more than double what the insurer lost in the previous quarter (see October-December 2007, January-March 2008, April-June 2008, and July-September 2008). The result will be announced in March 2009 (see March 2, 2009). [Bloomberg, 3/5/2009; Reuters, 4/17/2009]

The terms of the bailout given to troubled insurance giant AIG are modified, following calls from the insurer (see October 22, 2008 and November 7, 2008). The conditions of the government bailout were set in September (see September 16, 2008), but the interest rate is now lowered and the term is extended from two years to three. In addition, the rescue package grows to $150 billion, including a $60 billion loan, a $40 billion capital investment, and about $50 billion to buy mortgage-linked assets owned by AIG or guaranteed by it through credit default swaps. AIG also announces a record loss (see July-September 2008). [Bloomberg, 3/5/2009]

On the same day AIG announces the biggest loss ever in corporate history (see October-November 2008), the bailout of the troubled insurer is again increased and its terms eased. First, the US Treasury and Federal Reserve announce a plan to spend up to $30 billion more on preferred shares. However, the Treasury says the dividend on preferred stock, previously 10 percent, might fall. In addition, the bailout’s terms and conditions are altered to give the insurer a billion-dollar-a-year break on interest and dividend payments. [Bloomberg, 3/5/2009; Reuters, 4/17/2009] The size of the bailout, initially $85 billion, has now more than doubled, and the terms have been eased repeatedly (see September 16, 2008, October 8, 2008, and November 10, 2008).